Whether or not The Vaselines would’ve been known outside of Glasgow if it wasn’t for Kurt Cobain’s adoration can be debated—what absolutely can’t, however, is the energetic, rambunctious energy that emanates from every song penned by Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, from both of the band’s EPs through its only full-length, 1990’s “Dum-Dum.” Shortly after that record’s release the band called it quits, only to reform for a few scattershot shows in the nineties (including one opening for Nirvana when the band traveled through Scotland) and then more consistently just last year. Sub Pop released “Enter the Vaselines” earlier this month, an essential compilation of the band’s material, which is basically a re-release of the label’s 1992 assemblage, which was titled “The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History.” Nirvana, of course, covered the band’s “Molly’s Lips” and “Son of a Gun” on 1992’s “Incesticide,” plus “Jesus Don’t Want Me for a Sunbeam” during its classic appearance on “MTV Unplugged.” The surefire pop-punk vigor, fronted with a ragged, garage-like smirk, flirts with perfection. For more genius material from Eugene Kelly, check out 1994’s “Mary Queen of Scots,” the second and last record from his humorously named post-Vaselines project Eugenius, a fuzzy, remarkable and oft-skipped-over indie-rock must-have. (Tom Lynch)
The Vaselines play May 16 at Metro, 3730 N. Clark, (773)549-0203, at 9pm. $20.
For “Want” of a Change: A Preview of Rufus Wainwright at Ravinia Park Rufus Wainwright isn’t the first singer-songwriter to reinterpret earlier work through an orchestral lens. And much of Wainwright’s third and fourth albums, “Want One” and “Want Two”—whose twentieth anniversaries are the prompt for this new tour—is fully scored. But when Wainwright hits the Pavilion stage at Ravinia tonight, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be behind him.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
